Young went 4 for 4 and matched a career high with five RBIs, and Jeremy Bonderman won as the youngest opening-day starter since 1986 to lead the Detroit Tigers over the Kansas City Royals, 11-2, yesterday.

Detroit's performance created a frenzied atmosphere before a Comerica Park-record crowd of 44,105 on a sunny day with temperatures in the 60s.

"I don't know if I could've written a better script," Tigers manager Alan Trammell said.

Young's home run in the second inning put Detroit ahead 1-0. He hit a two-run homer in the third for a 5-0 lead and added another two-run shot in the eighth. The designated hitter also had a single and was hit by a pitch.

"That was a great day," Kansas City manager Tony Pena said. "Good for him. Bad for us."

Toronto's George Bell hit three homers against the Royals on opening day in 1988 and Tuffy Rhodes of the Chicago Cubs had three against the New York Mets in 1994. Those two games also were played April 4.

"It was just one of those unconscious days," said Young, who has hit two homers in a game six times.

He did not hit a home run in 46 at-bats during spring training.

Young did his best to deflect attention to the rest of his teammates, especially Bonderman, whom he called "a young Roger Clemens."

Bonderman finished with seven strikeouts in seven innings and gave up one run and six hits.

The 22-year-old right-hander became the youngest pitcher to start an opener since the New York Mets' Dwight Gooden did it at the age of 21 in 1986.